System of raised wall construction



7 1958 w. BRAUER 2,836,054

SYSTEM OF RAISED WALL cous'rabcuon Filed New. 16, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1FIG I INVENTOR.

WALTER BRAU R (2m in May 27, 1958 W. BRAUER SYSTEM OF RAISED WALLCONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 16, 1953 FIGS.

7 JNVENTOR. WALTER BRAU BY 7 FIG 2 r 2,836,054 IC Patented May 27, 1953SYSTEM OF RAISED WALL CONSTRUCTION Walter Brauer, Corpus Christi, Tex.

Application November 16, 1953, Serial N 392,211

2 Claims. (Cl. 72-.5)

This invention relates to a system of constructing buildings and moreparticularly, but not by way of limitation, to a system of constructingbuildings wherein concrete walls which have been poured on the floor ofa building are raised to a vertical position. This application is acontinuation-in-part of applicants co-pending application Serial No.126,419 filed November 9, 1949, and entitled, System of Raised WallBuilding Construction.

Cranes, winch trucks, or the like, utilizing cables, slings and a bracenearly as long as the wall being raised, are conventionally being usedto raise concrete walls, but obviously a brace strong enough to raise along wall without noticeable deflection would be expensive and heavy andwould not be readily portable; for example, a brace weighingapproximately three tons is required to raise a concrete wall fifty feetlong by this method. In the event the brace deflects or the slings areof slightly unequal length, unequal lifting forces are applied to thetop edge of the wall, thereby creating unequal stresses in the Wallwhich cause the wall or slab to sag to the point of cracking or be inserious danger of doing so. It is readily seen that this method islimited to raising walls or slabs of comparatively short length.

This invention contemplates a system of raised wall buildingconstruction wherein preformed, or on site pouring of reenforced,light-weight concrete slabs are moved into position by hydraulic jackssecured in place on the floor of the building, and adjacent the top ofthe wall section to be raised. The hydraulic jacks are clamped to thetop edge of the preformed wall sections whereupon hydraulic power isfurnished to the jacks from flexible conduits from a portable source ofmotive power and drive gear pump unit in order to apply uniform pressureto the jacks causing an actuation thereof, whereupon the wall slabs arelifted vertically upward into position. During the movement of the wallsection, the jacks are caused to pivot about their base in order tofollow the top of the wall section.

An important object of this invention is to provide an improved systemof raising concrete walls which have been poured on the floor of abuilding, the equipment for which is portable, compact and relativelyinexpensive.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved system ofraising concrete walls which have been poured on the floor of abuilding, whereby uniform lifting forces are applied along the top edgeof the walls, thereby preventing the walls from sagging and crackingduring the raising operation.

And still another object of this invention is to provide an improvedsystem of raising concrete walls which have been poured on the floor ofa building which is not limited by the length of the wall.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be evident from thefollowing detailed description, read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention.

In the drawings:

view of the equipment during Figure 1 is a perspective the raisingoperation.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevational view of the hydraulic jack unit.

Figure 3 is an elevational view illustrating the relative positions of ajack, cable and wall at the start of the raising operation.

Figure 4 is a similar view at the end of the wall raising operation.

Figure 5 is a detail view showing the pivotal arrangement of the jackunit.

Figure 6 is a detail view showing the securing means for the wall slab.

Referring to the drawings in detail a pumping unit 2 (Fig. 1) isconnected by a header 4 and separate flexible conduits 6 to each of thehydraulic jack units 8 which are each pivotally mounted on itsrespective base 10. A cable 12 is anchored at one end to the base 10 andpasses through a rotatably mounted sheave 14 disposed in the movableextension member 16 of each jack 8, and is adapted to be secured to abracket or clamp 18 secured to the top 20 of a preformed concrete wall22. The base 10 of each of the jacks 8 may be temporarily secured to thefloor 24 by any suitable means, such as securing pins or the like (notshown) acting to prevent the jacks from sliding during pivotal movementthereof. Suitable braces (not shown) hold the wall 22 in a verticalposition after it has been raised.

Operation Each base 10 of the plurality of hydraulic jacks 8, (the exactnumber.depending upon the dimensions of the wall to be raised) aresecured to the floor 24 in a spaced relation adjacent to and along thetop 20 of a horizontally disposed performed concrete wall 22. Thebrackets 13, cables 12, conduits 6, header 4 and pumping unit 2 areconnected in the manner as illustrated in Fig. 1. To raise the wall 22,fluid is supplied under pressure by the pumping unit 2 through theheader 4 and conduits 6 to the lower portion of the hydraulic jacks 8,thereby extending the member 16 which causes pulling of the cables 12through the sheaves 14 and raising the top 20 of the wall 22. As forceis exerted on the cables 12, each of the jacks 8 are pivoted about theirrespective bases 16 so as to be disposed substantially adjacent the top28 of the wall 22 and will continue to pivot as the wall 22 is movedabout its base from a horizontal to a vertical position where it thenmay be maintained by suitable braces (not shown). The fluid pressure inthe jacks 8 may then be relieved along with an unclamping of the clamps18 allowing the extending member 16 to contract, and the equipment to bedisassembled and moved to another location.

It is readily seen that since the jacks 8 are hydraulicallyinterconnected, the fluid pressure in each jack 8 will be equal, therebymaintaining a uniform lifting force along the top 20 of the wall 22thereby eliminating any sagging or cracking of the wall 22 caused byunequal lifting stresses.

This system is not limited by the length of the wall 22 because, as thelength is increased, the number of jacks 8 may be increased accordingly.As an example of the size of walls which may be raised by this method,an eight foot wall, in height, fifty to sixty feet long, can be raisedby four jacks, and all of the required equipment can be transported by apick-up truck.

Referring to Fig. 2, it will be apparent that base 10 may be of anysuitable type but is preferably provided with upstanding aperturedflanges 11 cooperating with a movable bracket 13 by means of a suitablepivot pin Theaxzensien member 16 is p etera'biy provided with .a slottedportion 17. for receiving and securing the pulley 14 in any suitablemanner (not shown). In order I that the pivotal movement of the jacksmay be controlled "the base. 11 and the bracket 1 3 permit the oft-setdisposition of the pin 15; As the wall section rises, its top edgeslides along'the smooth exterior of the jack housing and the two areheld together by the force effected by the off-set. slab as the weightof the wall panel is taken by the jack, and any sliding tendency of thejack base is overcome by the securing pins orfbolts (not shown).However,

very little 'slippage is efiectedbecause the weight of the wall panel asit is raised and the horizontal force to cause slipping of the'jackdecreases accordingly.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that preformed Wall slabs 22 maybe constructed by on-site pouring in forms (not shown) disposed on thefloor 24, or in any other suitable manner so desired. Furthermore, thepre extending portion. This arrangement'permits the overall length ofthe hydraulic jacks to be reduced and pro- 7 vides for lighter jacks andeasierportability.

Changes may be made in the combination and arrange- 7 meat of 7 parts asheretofore set forth in the specification and shown in the drawings, itbeing understood that any modification in the precise embodiment ofthe'invention may be made within the scope of the following claimswithout departing from the spirit of the invention;

I claim: 1 Q I,

i. In combination with a horizontally disposed concrete wall section, aplurality of hydraulic jacks arranged in spaced relation adjacent onemarginal edge of the wall section, a clamp onsaid marginalredge oppositeeach of said jacks, each of-said jacks comprising a stationary basemember, a lower tubular member pivotally secured to The base of the jackpresses down on the floor formed wall slabs 22 are preferably formed oflightweight aggregate slag such as is in common use in buildingconstruction at the present time, however, it is to be understood thatthe construction of the wall slabs does not form any part of theinvention except that the slabs may be provided with any-suitable meansalong the top 20 for assisting the clamping of the cable 12 thereto. Inorder to prevent any sliding of the wall section 22 during the raisingthereof, the wall sections 22 may be pivotally secured in any suitablemanner such as bya hingemember 32 having securing pins 34 connectingwith the slab 22 and additional securing means" 32 engaging in theground orto' the floor upon which slabs 22 are testing.

Obviously any suitable hinge member-secured between struction providesfor the raising of a preformed concrete slab" from a horizontal to avertical position by hydraulic means in order to maintain a uniformtension in the auxiliary lifting apparatus, such as the cables and thelike, and thereby preclude any possibility of slack or non-uniformitytherein. The pivotal movement of the jack units 8, so as to maintain thejack in juxtaposition adjacent the top.20 of the wall slab 22 materiallyassists in providing the uniformity of tension on the lifting partsduring the raising operation.

Alluding further to the hydraulic jack 8, an operational feature isprovided in anchoring of the cable 12 to the non-extending portion ofthe jack so that it cooperates with the pulley 14 in such a manner thatthe cable will move substantially twice the distance of the extendingthe base member, an upper extensible member telescopically disposedwithin the lower tubular member,

a sheave rotatably securedto the outer extremity of the upper extensiblemember and a cable secured to the base member and extending over thesheave into connection with the clamp disposed opposite the jack, andconduit means providing common communication between the interior of thelower tubular members of each ofthe jacks below the upper extensiblemembers whereby hydraulic fluid may be directed into each of the lowertubular members for simultaneously extending each of the upperextensible members, each cable movable with its respectiveex 4 tensibleportion of the jack to uniformly pivot the wall section to a verticalposition.-

2. In a system for raising a horizontally disposed concrete'wall sectioncomprising the wall section, a plurality of hydraulic jacks arranged inspaced relation along one marginal edge thereof, each of said jackscomprising a base member, a lower tubular member pivotally secured tothe base member, an upper extensiblemember telescopically disposedwithin the lower tubular member, a sheave member rotatably disposed atthe upper end of the'extens'ible member and'a cable secured to the basemember. and extendlngthrough the sheave, a clamp mem 7 her secured tothemarginal. edge of the wall opposite each of the spaced jacks andconnecting with a respective cable, and means having commoncommunication be- 'portion 16 of the jack because the lifting end of thecable surrounding the pulley travels twice as, fast as the tween theinteriors of said tubular members and sup plying hydraulic fluid to eachof the jack members for simultaneously extending each of the upperextensible members, said sheaves movable with said upper extensiblemembers for pulling the cable and pivoting the wall toward a verticalposition, and said pivotal lower tubular members providing a pivotalmovement for each of the jacks in a direction toward the edge of thewall section for uniformly pivoting the wall toward a vertical position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,754,873 Blackwood Apr. 15, '1930 2,336,148 Zoll Dec. 7, 1943 2,415,709Sechand et al Feb. 11, 1947 2,449,781 Jameson et al Sept. 21, 1948FOREIGN PATENTS 711,894 France 1931 OTHER REFERENCES ConstructionMethods and Equipment, vol. 20, No. 7,; p. 33, July 1938.

Construction Methods, pp. 108 and 109, March 1946.

